When the villagers of Xiushan knew that Zhang Enpu could not only subdue zombies but also read fortunes and analyze geomancy, they looked upon him with expressions of utter amazement and respect. This intangible attention, perhaps, was the greatest reward he had reaped. Yes, this old Daoist, driven from place to place, had finally made a name for himself. Although he had refused the betrothal gifts offered by the Zhao family, the resulting publicity had brought him far more opportunities to earn a living—a shrewd, calculated move by a wise master.

This greatly impressed Young Master Liu. "Master, I think you were a fool. Why pretend to be so aloof? Why refuse the bride price Zhao Shan offered you?

Look, we only have one dollar left between us now; even daily expenses are becoming a struggle. Hey, is it true what you said about someone dying in the southeast direction last time? Why is there still no sign of it?" Seeing the old man laboring in vain, Young Master Liu couldn't resist teasing him. Hearing this, Zhang Enpu did not get angry but smiled faintly.

"Young Master, it’s understandable that you doubt my ability to subdue spirits, but doubting my mastery of Feng Shui and geomancy deserves a spanking. When have I ever deceived you? Xiang Yu lost his battle at Jiangdong—it was destiny, it was fate. When the time isn't ripe, why are you so anxious!" Young Master Liu’s face showed complete disbelief.

"But that should at least give us a concrete idea! Tell me the exact day. If you can calculate it precisely, I will be completely convinced. How about that?" Zhang Enpu smiled faintly upon hearing this.

"Heh heh, I have navigated the world for half a lifetime. What use is it to have you, this mere boy, submit to me? If you intend to trap me, I shall deliberately thwart your plans." Young Master Liu walked over and pinched Zhang Enpu sharply in the crease of his arm. "Are you going to tell me or not?

If you don't, I'll tickle you until you can't stop laughing!" Although Zhang Enpu usually maintained an air of otherworldly composure, the one thing he dreaded most in his life was being tickled. Still, he endured it, feigning nonchalance. "I won't say it, I simply won't say it." Young Master Liu increased the pressure. "Are you going to tell me or not?

I don't believe it! Does a cat accustomed to stealing fish really refuse meat? What a braggart!" Zhang Enpu finally couldn't hold out. He laughed and jumped out of the circle, pleading with Young Master Liu.

"Fine, fine, you rascal, you're clever! I'll analyze it for you right now. Look, do you see that pine tree across the way? Yes, the greenest one.

When the largest branch under that tree withers, that's when our business will arrive!" Young Master Liu blinked, looked in the direction Zhang Enpu pointed, and saw a pine tree of just the size described, not far across the way. "Is that so? Is there some lore behind that?" Zhang Enpu flipped his sleeve and pointed far away. "The lore is that the tree is a 'Soul-Summoning Tree'!" "A Soul-Summoning Tree?" Young Master Liu had never heard this term before.

Zhang Enpu hummed in affirmation and explained, "The location of that tree is in the northeast direction of this area. According to the Bagua, the northeast is the 'Ghost Gate.'" "The Ghost Gate is where Yin energy converges. Therefore, whenever anyone in the entire Xiushan Village dies, that tree will react. With North at the top, South at the bottom, West to the left, and East to the right, whichever direction it reacts toward is where the person died.

I said someone was going to die in the southeast, so you only need to watch for changes in the largest branch pointing toward the southeast." With that, Zhang Enpu chuckled with satisfaction. "In real life, dogs and crows are animals of relatively high spiritual awareness. Dogs bark at midnight, and corpses jump. Crows cry out wildly, and souls scatter.

But what everyone doesn't know is that this tree also possesses spiritual energy. In fact, there are such trees everywhere around us; people just don't understand it." Young Master Liu’s eyes lit up. "Old man, you say the northeast is the 'Ghost Gate.' Is this 'Ghost Gate' the same principle as the Ghost Gate in the Feng Shui of inhabited dwellings (Yang Zhai)?" Zhang Enpu nodded. "It is the same principle.

When building a dwelling and settling a family, one must pay special attention to warding off the malevolent energy of this northeast 'Ghost Gate.' One must avoid placing toilets or kitchens in this position, otherwise, the master of the house will suffer a great disaster." "What kind of great disaster? Is it one of those described in the 'Secret Manual of Yang Dwellings'?" Young Master Liu had puzzled out quite a few principles from the ancient Feng Shui texts Zhang Enpu had brought over these past few days. Reading so much had quickened his mind, and now he couldn't resist showing off what he’d learned. Zhang Enpu said, "That's right.

Do you remember?" "I remember. If the privy is at the Ghost Gate, the master dies young. If the kitchen is at the Ghost Gate, the woman suffers heavenly calamity." Young Master Liu recited it flawlessly. Zhang Enpu nodded.

"Indeed. In modern terms, if a latrine is built in the house's northeast Ghost Gate, and the clash between Metal and Fire occurs, the male head of the household will inevitably develop terminal illnesses like cirrhosis or liver cancer. If the kitchen is built in the northeast direction—the kitchen belongs to Yin, representing femininity—then the mistress of the house will suffer continuous illness. If a Metal-Fire clash occurs, the mistress is destined to die from incurable uterine cancer." Hearing this, Young Master Liu couldn't help but laugh.

"You speak so convincingly, but I wonder if any of this stuff is true or not." Zhang Enpu’s mouth curved slightly. "Things passed down by our ancestors for thousands of years have their own reason for existing. Good. Today is a clear, crisp day, perfect for a stroll outdoors.

I'll take you out to verify some of the things discussed in the 'Secret Manual of Yang Dwellings.' Let's go!" Young Master Liu was delighted. "You should have said so earlier! It must be this combination of theory and practice; otherwise, how will I ever understand?" Zhang Enpu patted his little head and said affectionately, "Heh, you mischievous boy, you really are something. Grab the bag." "Right away!" The two walked out of the house and proceeded downstream along the small country path in front of the door.

Zhang Enpu said, "You recite first, I'll check if you've forgotten anything. Last time I excused you from corporal punishment for not memorizing it, but if you fail to recite it this time, I won't let you off!" Young Master Liu's heart sank. It was over. How could he remember so many mnemonic verses?

He usually got dizzy when looking at books and often ended such 'refined intellectual activity' by falling asleep. He stammered out: "Yang residences and Yin tombs share the same dragon features, yet the acupoint techniques vary in difficulty. Yin—small acupoints can also be used; Yang residences require broad and level terrain. The bright hall must truly accommodate ten thousand horses; the main hall, doors, and pillars establish position first.

East wing, west study, and kitchen, courtyard, pavilions, and garden plots. Thirty-six divisions for the roof ridges, three hundred and sixty to set the foundation positions. The four stars of Water, Wood, Metal, and Earth dragons serve as the foundation for auspicious settlement. Only the Fire star is highly unsuitable; it can only be trimmed for Yin ground use.

Listen not to the sharp protrusions, they are unlike tombs seeking fine energy. When discussing the entrance, first discuss the gate; do not let water flow in the courtyard strike the gate. Disharmony in the household begins from here." "This can all be analogized likewise, and there are diagrams for further clarification. Once water flow is understood, look at the house structure; do not stick towers and buildings above the head.

Rear hall and front hall can still be arranged, but if the main hall pressures the side rooms, it is too oppressive. Furthermore, corridors can be arranged secondarily; Dragon and Phoenix raising their heads is the proper method. Do not make the central hall appear gloomy; gloominess implies internal illness. If the Longevity Star does not emerge, people die young; beams pressing down the lintel are also ill-fated.

If people do not raise their heads, they often die young; women remain in empty rooms while young. The courtyard must not be shaped like a single character [I]; a single character carries killing intent and lacks spirit. When both flanks open into one, it resembles the character [A] on both sides. This is called 'Sword-Carrying Water,' and the master of the acupoint will be violent and inauspicious.

Water exits both flanks and meets in the front; one exit, one retreat, meeting in a long line. It is shaped just like the character [] moving out; this is called 'Crossed Swords' and also brings disaster. Initially auspicious but later disastrous, leading to closure, financial ruin, and encountering injury. Ten houses out of eight gather in the same cluster, sharing the same exit and the same location.

Water paths crisscross from both flanks; all calamities return to the center. Two alleys are called 'Drawn Sword Water,' which draws the sword to kill, causing erratic behavior. Water from a kiln exiting into the bright hall is called 'Tossing Spear,' a name for divine malevolence. There should be no penetrating water behind the hall; this is called the 'Rear-Back Gun.' The household will be discordant, descendants few, and property will inevitably decline.

Do not open a mouth above the Azure Dragon's head; the malevolent name is 'Reverse Eating,' resulting in wastefulness and emptiness. It also causes frequent verbal disputes, and men and women suffer slander day and night. Do not open a mouth above the White Tiger's head; if the White Tiger's mouth opens, people will be injured or killed. The malevolent name is 'Devouring,' making it hard to sustain life, and pregnant women often fall ill in bed.

If there is also damage from travelers, official calamities will arrive at the door, impossible to withstand. Uh... it should be... it should be..." "Old man, I really can't memorize it; it's too long." Young Master Liu racked his brain, thinking and thinking, but he couldn't recall the next line.

Fearing Zhang Enpu would punish him by making him copy talismans again, he quickly put on a pitiful expression and begged for mercy. "Master, you aren't going to actually hit me this time, are you? I’m a grown man now, give me some face, okay?" "I was just teasing you. In fact, I can't memorize it either.

Are we fools? Don't we have the book? We can just look it up, can't we? Why bother?

We aren't taking a written exam. Telling you to copy the 'Laojun Divine Talismans' was just a slogan to spur you into diligence!" Zhang Enpu turned around and pointed to a house on the opposite mountaintop. "Look, what is the fortune of the people inside that house?" Young Master Liu followed the direction of his finger and looked toward the house towering on the opposite peak. He analyzed it briefly using his rudimentary knowledge, preparing to show off to Zhang Enpu, but just then, Zhang Enpu played a trick on him.

While Young Master Liu wasn't paying attention, he sharply tapped him on the head and then sprinted toward the opposite mountain. "You shouldn't listen to your teacher—you deserve a beating!" Young Master Liu stared, stunned for a long moment. By the time he recovered, Zhang Enpu was already near the foot of the mountain. "Damn it, you old monkey, you big fraud, fooling people!

I didn't expect that at your age you'd still play tricks on young folks. You're like the Jade Emperor jumping into the sea—old and thick-skinned! You watch out, if I fall for your trick next time, I’m the fifth volume and fifty-seventh!" A voice echoed back from the foot of the mountain: "Young Master, hurry down! We're going up to the summit to check out that household!" Young Master Liu bolted down the slope like an arrow.

"Take it easy, you're old! If you collapse, who will read the land for me? I haven't learned yet! Wait for me!" "Slow down, boy." Seeing Young Master Liu flying down like an arrow, Zhang Enpu paused, fearing something might happen, and waited for him.

It seemed he did care about me. For some reason, Young Master Liu felt a strange stirring in his heart. A person lonely for too long is often easily moved by very simple gestures of care. He touched his slightly moist eyes, stopped rushing, and walked slowly to Zhang Enpu.

He said, "I took a look just now. That house on the mountaintop is definitely not doing well, because that location doesn't even possess the most basic requirements of leaning against a mountain and facing water. It has the Azure Dragon Mountain on the left, but a deep gully on the right. Standing on the mountaintop is like a temple; without water, it's exposed to the wind and cannot gather Qi.

Bad, it must be very bad."